08| Evenings
"Sithara??" She heard her mother call her name in a pensive voice over the phone. She hummed in response, putting a lighter, short nightie on her self for the night. "Ugh!! What did you mean by saying Ammi isn't over Madhia??"
Sithara raised her eyebrows seeing her reflection in the mirror, as she remembered her text to her in the morning. Ammi's words had really upset her and she couldn't help but type out her displeasure towards it to her mother.
She believed her mother was the only person who would listen to her without any form of judgment but soon she got too busy to give her any context. "Is everything okay hn??" Her mother insisted her to answer.
"Yeah, ah I'm fine." She answered in a mellow tone, noticing Arsalan's movements in the room as he came in. He kept his phone on the table, marking something on his calendar with a pen. "She thinks Madhia's marriage with Arsalan was more cordial. I felt weird." Sithara put in drawing her husband's attention towards herself.
"Why does she do that????" Her mother questioned, remembering several other similar incidents.
"I don't understand too. Sometimes it just does not sit right otherwise it's okay I guess." Sithara normally added when Arsalan put his hand on the speaker, glaring at her.
"Why are you snitching on us????" He complained. "We talked it out right."
"Arsalan." She frowned, pushing him back. She did not appreciate his action. She was simply telling her about the incident.
"Are you a child???" Arsalan did not like her discussing his mother with her's especially when he had gone out of way to take her stand.
Sithara could hear her father's greetings on the call but Arsalan wasn't letting her speak. "You angry me so much Arsalan."
She hung up. She did not want her parents to hear them fight. She did not want to worry them. "And you disappoint me so much Sithara."
"Disappoint??" Sithara scowled. She did not understand where he was coming from. "I.." She wanted to reply but she stopped. She did not want to have this conversation with him. It was pointless.
Arsalan on the other side was just awkward because of the diagloue he had with his mother. He did not want her to think that he was in any way trying to demonise her. He understood it was a very innocent mistake and he wanted Sithara to let go of it too. "Everything need not be dramatised?? Grow up.."
"I can at least share what I feel with my mother when you cannot even ask your mother to shut up about your ex wife and how good she was to you unless you agree. So do not interject, you have no right."
"Sithara mind your language."
"Arsalan, stop blaming me as if it's my fault..own up okay.." Sithara just turned around and called back.
"Hello!" She embarrassedly bit her lip, but broke into a smile at her father's voice. "Hii Papa!!??" She giggled at his cute response.
"Hi????? You have been ignoring me, day and night." He playfully complained.
"No, Papa. Not at all. Mumma and I are always talking about you, and I hear you in the background all the time." She justified.
"Isn't the same as you talking to me one on one??????" He stuck to his ground. "You don't take my calls nor you return them."
"I love you Papa. How are you doing???" She meant it. Sometimes she just misses being home more than ever. Life is so easy when you are with your parents, just being their child, feeling protected, happy and carefree. It did not feel worth staying away from them all the time.
Her eyes moistened, her voice breaking a little when her gaze met Arsalan's. He was cruel.
"Your Mumma is taking good care of me, by making me massage her, by making me run behind her with her medicines amidst others. I'm really enjoying.." She adored her parents as a couple. Her father was the most caring husband she had ever known.
"Liar." Her mother interrupted. "He is exaggerating."
"Come on Mumma, you are being served morning tea in bed I know." Sithara supported her father in the banter. "I so miss tea-time gossip with you guys."
"Don't tell us you do. Your actions defy. Don't remember the last time you visited." Arsalan shot her a look at it again. He hated her family for always guilt-tripping her about her absence as if she did not have a family of her own. Sithara did not agree.
"Ugh. Don't hurt me." She tried to change the topic. "Umm, tell me something more interesting??" She pressed lipbalm on her lips before slipping into her flip-flops, ready to go to the terrace.
"You continue about your mother in-law nah??"
"There's nothing more. Just what I told you."
Sithara gave a 'we are not having sex tonight' look to Arsalan before leaving the room, receiving an 'of course not' glunch back.
@Sithara umm, uh can't caption
Sithara and Daniya laughed loudly, almost like maniacs, throwing their hands at each other, unable to put control on their voices that it hurt in their guts.
"Oh god.." Daniya sighed and the two burst out heavy again.
"It doesn't seem you two attended different colleges, cities apart hm." Inaya commented as both of them began to gradually catch their breaths.
"Seriously." Sithara looked at her best-friend nostalgically. "I don't remember any event you weren't with us. Kabir used to hate it..She had no attendance scene right??"
"I still loathe it." He spoke through the ipad. He had formed a routine with Daniya and Sithara. They used to play virtual games and chit chat at night almost daily now. Inaya often joined them. "She was always an inconvenience." He taunted her.
Daniya sarcastically snarled at him. "Lmao, has anyone ever been more unfortunate than you Kabir???" She bullied him. "I have attracted every thing that you please.."
"Sithara is still right here, with me." She pecked my cheeks to tease him. "She has sex in my house. Hmmm? Married to my brother? Aww.." She had always known that Kabir has his heart all for Sithara.
"Shut it." Sithara rebuked Daniya a little consciously as Inaya looked at them curiously, building her own narrative through the hints she was catching.
Kabir gagged. "I bet she will lick your pussy Sithara, she only needs a chance."
"And won't you Kabir??" Daniya retorted. "If you were not scared of my brother?? Loser."
"Shall we focus on the game guys?" Sithara drew their attention to the lodu board. It was Kabir's turn to play the dice.
"I would have never let Sithara entertain you if she were my wife." He kicked Daniya's token out of the game.
"In your dreams." She gritted her teeth. "I'm calling Poorva after this game.."
"We weren't a triangle. Trust me." Sithara assured Inaya as she looked puzzeled. "It's always been Arsalan. Only him." She smiled at her.
"Of course, only him. A fling with Varun wouldn't have hurt??? It still pinches my heart..like look at him?Does he look like a father of two?" Daniya drooled over the guy who liked Sithara a lot during school. He pursued her even during college but nothing more than a date could happen.
"He looks old enough. Get your eyes checked. I don't understand why you two are going gaga over him?" Kabir commented. The three had joined a what's app group of their school batchmates and rekindled with all the people they had lost contact with. "No doubt he doesn't look as old as Hamza. Points there."
"I'll kill you. I swear." She huffed. "Forget about us Inaya. give us some spice from your life.." Daniya asked her instead.
"I had a boyfriend. Broke up with him three months back. He went to US for college. Long distance." She answered.
"Great. Have as many boyfriends as you can. Be a whore. I regret not being one." Sithara laughed at her sister-in-law's remark.
"What a lie man!!! She was one but don't be stupid enough to end up with someone like Hamza." Daniya glared at Sithara hearing Kabir's words. "What problem does he have with my husband??????" She asked him.
"But Arsalan bhai never speaks. It's intimidating to hold a conversation with him han??????" Inaya directly demanded to know from Sithara, disregarding the banter between Daniya and Kabir. Arsalan has always made her very inquisitive, especially his relationship with Sithara.
"I know right??!!" Sithara smiled with a reminiscent mind. Her mind flooded with memories of those early days and she felt tingles on her skin. "Allah those days when I used to crush on him!!! I used to go breathless at his sight, and literally choke if he ever looked me into the eye." She elaborated. "He does the listening now though." She added pompously. "Mostly." Those were still her favorite days.
"How was the journey from there like??" She asked for more details.
"God knows." She grinned. "I used to swoon over him all the time that it probably began being too evident to him.." She had no definite reply quite literally. It was pure destiny. "I guess." She shrugged.
"It is still funny to me how I never noticed that Sithara never called Arsalan bhai bhai.." Daniya further tagged. "Like Arsalan bhai always intrigued me but I never thought he'd end up having an affair with my best-friend. Crazy shit."
"I can't believe it myself. I was always so so so extra for Arsalan probably why he chose me 'cause he thought I got that okay okay la la malang wife vibe that he needs and you never heeded." She replied to Daniya. "It made it more sexy so no complaints there."
"She can't wipe off the smile on her lips." Kabir smiled and Sithara shyly tittered.
"I really love him, Taylor Swift kind of way.." She blushed profusely as if it hadn't been years to when their romance hit off, as if they are not parents to three beautiful children. "And now I'll go to him.." She stood up.
"No, I'm winninggg, finish the game what the fuckkk!" Daniya squealed.
"Consider you won!!!"
Flashback
Sithara smiled sheepishly, her one hand trying to hold her hair in the air that blew across her face from the window, the other placing the purple orchids in the vase at the table to help her childhood best friend's mother to embellish their farm house to welcome their son from Yale over for a dinner.
"I'm home." She did not want uncle Imran to give her the attention he had been bestowing upon her ever since she had landed with Daniya. "I can do this much." She added as he emphasised how she had been putting in a lot more efforts to help organize the eve than his daughter.
She did not want anyone to notice her presence, and definitely not her contributions but the more she hid, the more people came over to pour their recognition. She feared that if they'd look at her face for long they would get a glimpse of her heart.
Her restless heart. Her heart eager to see his face after four fucking years but her heart anxious of what it'd be like to look into his eyes after so long, if it would even be same.
Her heart anticipating if he'd even bother to glance at her and soak in her presence or she would find him carrying someone else in his eyes.
She had been studying law for two years herself but for the first time she felt what fear of being caught red-handed brought to a person.
"Abba." Sithara froze on her spot as she heard his voice echo in the drawing room behind her followed by his father & mother's zealous exclamations.
Her mind couldn't comprehend a single thing except him hurling sweet complaints at them for throwing such a grand gesture on his arrival and her heart beating insanely as if he'd just come and hug her.
All of a sudden her throat was parched, her feet went cold, her hands itchy, her breath shaky as she found herself slowly drowned in nervousness, regretting going out of the way to be here, to be a fool.
"Ammi." His words took a pause as his eyes bore into hers softly as she dared to lift them and gaze back, innocently, with her true feelings.
"Sithara!" It'd be a lie if she would say she didn't see his eyes shine in surprise, giving in his signature smile that none but her could read on his lips. A smile that's cocky, sly, furtive yet that's appreciative and impressed by her.
"Sithara." He was staring into her eyes yet she could feel her entire skin burn and tingle, her stomach unable to catch the butterflies.
"Sithara?? What's up??? I'm talking to you??" Daniya's mother broke her trance and she heard him break the contact, rolling his eyes in pity with a mocking chuckle espcaing his lips at her child like behavior.
"Yes, ah I'm sorry.." He could notice her loaded and strained breath, and her cheeks, profusely red. "Ah???"
"Your parents are here, come?? I didn't know they aren't aware you are here for the party.." She held Sithara's hand and took her with her to them.
"Sithara."
"Mumma."
Sithara could see disapproval in her eyes. "Why would you miss college???" She didn't wait a second before remanding her.
"Mumma!" She faked a grin at her, holding her hand to calm her down as soon as possible. "I'm good with attendance." She lied but She did not want her mother to burst her bubble and publicly humiliate her.
"Really???" Her mother raised her eyes. "Aren't you 13% short?? You took that Goa trip right?" Sithara shut her eyes. Her mother was not being extra, but only careful. It was her fault for being too loud to her last week and admitting that she might not be allowed to take exams due to the attendance crisis. " I do not think this event is important enough for you to be here???" She put forth.
"Mumma please." She screeched and thankfully her father called her mother before she could speak more.
Sithara sighed in relief but only to a second before her heart climbed up her chest to her mouth when he bent over her on the dinning table, too close, almost touching her to take the car keys, raising his eyes at her with a smirk she was ready to die for.
"Arsalan, son, come over.."
"Sure, uncle." He made a lasting eye-contact before disappearing like a dream.
@Sithara in office we dont always fake smile
Sithara walked into the room with a toothy-grin as she remembered what she did when he came back from Yale after completing his degree.
She noticed a mild yellow light fall on Arsalan through the curtains as he laid on the bed on his stomach with the book he had been reading kept on the bedside half open.
She gently laid next to him, moving her palm tenderly over his arm to announce her presence. He turned around at her almost immediately, embracing her, with his left hand lifting her up by her back and the other tangled around her waist as his lips pressed hers with a moan.
Sithara's hand ruffled into his hair as he peppered kisses down her neck before separating her mouth with hers, with his tongue making it's way inside as conquered her within his boundaries. He suckled her lips, with his thumb running over her cheekbones in a soft motion as she responded equally fervently.
"Hey." She timidly spoke as Arsalan took note of the smile plastered in her eyes as they sparkled brightly.
"What time is it?" Arsalan asked, a little fazed out of reality. He had no account of exactly when he stopped reading and kept the book aside whilst waiting for her despite the argument.
"I'm sorry, I'm late.." Her words finished in his mouth as he kissed her lips again. "It's three.." She somehow answered.
"Three?" His voice muffled under another kiss as his hand rubbed against her raising chest. "Three. Now you are waging a fucking war.." He pushed her more into the bed, pouncing half of his body weight upon her as she restlessly tried to dominate the kiss with her fingers struggling to keep hold of him.
"You can't be away from me these hours." He whispered as his hand slipped down her black nightie, cupping her vagina in his palm, a moan escaping his lips realising she was not wearing a panty. "Hmm." He suckled her lips as his thumb traced her plump vulva, too good to feel and his fingers dipping in her clit and nearing her vagina. She could feel his bulge grow as their legs impatiently tried to create friction to feel as much pleasure but also restricting it just as much to go further and deeper.
Sithara's breath gradually began to grow shallow, her head rising, her nipples erecting as she felt his lips on hers and his skilful hands right underneath.
"Really??" Arsalan frustratedly groaned as the load iPhone caller tune jerked them off the movement. Sithara sadly closed her eyes on losing her husband's control from over her as she stretched herself to pick her phone.
"Ugh." He repeated, reading the id burying his face in the crook of her neck, pulling her left boob out of her cloth and chewing her nipple. She hissed at the pain. She knew he would have literally killed had it been any one other than his own children.
Sithara declined the face time and switched to audio. It was Aadya calling from their iPad. "Amma, Arryn had a bad dream and is now crying. He wants to sleep with you but we can't walk him to your room. The movie was too scary.."
"I'm coming.." Arsalan glared at her at her statement. He slurped on her right boob, squeezing the other.
"Scary dreams." She answered when he looked up at her for an explanation.
"Why are they watching horror movies in the first place???" He retorted, kissing her lips, pushing himself against him, to rob off as much thrill as they could in the minute.
"Arsalan.."
He withdrew, sitting up and Sithara adhered. "You were out in this??" He snapped out of the romance calling her out on her choice of clothes. "This is not Delhi." He rebuked.
"I was wearing a robe.." She replied in a slightly irritated voice as she put it back again as if he hadn't seen her walk out earlier.
"Whatever, I don't like it.." He ended the conversation, following her out of the room. She simply rolled her eyes, taking the lead.
She glanced up at him as they walked out to their children's room. "Do you know I almost failed a semester when I came to see you when you returned from Yale..??"
"Hmmm." He agreed. He knew she did. Her mother was too loud while scolding her.
"You thought I'd still be out there crushing over you even after four years?" She asked.
"I didn't think about you those days." He plainly stated. "Not in Connecticut."
"Oh wow!! What a mood burster." His reply really did make her upset. She was not expecting him to be so harshly honest.
Arsalan chuckled noticing her expressions turning sour, sad and angry. It was funny how what he felt years back could affect her even today when he was her husband. "Baby you are my wife." He pinned her against the wall. She kissed him desperately clearly upset. "I always used to do so much for you and sometimes you would not even look at me." She mumbled.
"Hmm hmm." Arsalan tasted her lips. "Now I only look at you.." He remembered it was for the first time that day that it hit him that maybe, maybe he was attracted to her more than the girls in America.
"You need to make up????" He laughed at her demand. He didn't tell her the complete truth. He'd rather use the opportunity to please her in another way.
"What guys? How dare anybody scare my Arryn?" Sithara jested, addressing her three children.